Thames Valley Police’s Stronghold campaign continues to target those who seek to operate within serious and organised crime groups within the region as well as safeguarding those who are being exploited by these groups.

New figures released today (7/1) by Thames Valley Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit shows that in the three months from September to December, officers arrested 87 people in connection with the Stronghold campaign. These were for offences such as supplying Class A drugs, possession of offensive weapons, money laundering and other offences associated with serious and organised crime.

It means that from its start in 2017 Stronghold has seen 1329 people arrested for their involvement in serious and organised crime.

Also in the last three months, 40 people have been charged, 28 people have been convicted and sentences totalling 139 years’ imprisonment have been handed out following investigations by Thames Valley Police.

From its start in 2017, Stronghold has seen 518 people charged, 373 people convicted and a total of 1,462 years in prison sentences handed out by the courts after Thames Valley Police investigations.

Additionally warrants and police activity throughout the Stronghold campaign has resulted in more than £3.9m recovered, more than 56kg of drugs seized, and 30 firearms and numerous weapons taken out of the hands of offenders.

Stronghold has also been working to safeguard vulnerable individuals who may have been exploited for child sexual exploitation, modern slavery, human trafficking and drug exploitation, as a result of this partnership working, 85 people have been safeguarded.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Spencer, said: “Stronghold is Thames Valley Police’s commitment to tackle people who commit serious and organised crime and those who exploit others to do so”

“These groups and people are a blight on our communities and the criminal activity they carry out often exploits vulnerable people forcing them to potentially deal drugs, force them into work or in some cases into sexual exploitation.

“Through our Stronghold campaign, we will continue to work with our partners such as local authorities, charities, as well as other agencies and police forces in order to target these criminals bring them to justice and also safeguard anyone they are exploiting.

“The public pay an important part in this ongoing fight against serious and organised crime.

“We need them to keep reporting to us criminal activity that they might be aware of in their community, this information is vital as it helps us build up intelligence and take action.

“Additionally we would ask people to keep an eye out for members of the community who might be being exploited by criminals and report it.”